Something You Should Know

When you have to take a test and you don’t know the answer, the conventional advice is to go with your first answer. A lot of people believe that – but is it true? This episode begins with some interesting evidence that may help you the next time you take a test.  https://www.spring.org.uk/2012/02/multiple-choice-tests-why-sticking-with-your-first-answer-is-probably-wrong.phpMusic is such an important part of life for so many of us. Most of us have a favorite song or band or type of music. Listening to music can make you happy or sad or transport you back in time. Why does music affect us the way it does? Joining me to discuss that is Susan Rogers who was the chief engineer on Prince’s Purple Rain album as well as other hit records. In fact, she is one of the most successful female record producer of all time. She is now a professor of neuroscience and author of the book This is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You (https://amzn.to/3ROjCGg)You often don’t notice it, but you are constantly saying things to yourself – often about yourself. And often the things you say aren’t very nice. Seldom are we telling ourselves how wonderful we are. Instead, we are often self-critical. Why is that? Why do we tend to think so negatively about ourselves and the world around us? Here to explain is psychotherapist Katie Krimer, author of the book, Sh*t I Say to Myself: 40 Ways to Ditch the Negative Self-Talk That’s Dragging You Down (https://amzn.to/3S7miOD)Do you know the law when you come up on a school bus picking up or dropping off students? It turns out the area right around a stopped school bus can be very dangerous. In fact, driving around kids walking to and from school is always risky. Listen as I explain when you need to know and do when you are driving around school children. https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/school-bus-safetyPLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! To match with a licensed therapist today, go to https://Talkspace.com. Use promo code SYSK to get $100 off of your first month! Helix Sleep is offering up to $200 off all mattress orders AND two free pillows for our listeners at https://helixsleep.com/sysk.  Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewardsGo to Amazon and search for Conair Turbo Extreme to get your 2-in-1 steam and iron steamer today!Along with alarms, fire extinguishers are essential. Make sure to place fire extinguishers on every level of your home and in common spaces like the kitchen and know how to use them. For more information on fire safety products, safety tips and educational activities you can do at home with your family visit https://firstalert.com/firepreventionmonth   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 You have probably been in a situation where you felt shy. As a result, you probably held back and didn’t engage with people as much as you could have. There is a way to get over your shyness no matter what the situation. This episode begins with some interesting advice from a top shyness expert on how to work through those shy feelings in the moment – and it is very simple and requires almost no effort. Source: Bernardo Carducci author of Shyness (https://amzn.to/2XWCgl8)You’ve probably heard it said that indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air. And while that is true, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. When you realize that you spend 90% of your life indoors, it is clear that the indoor environment has a big impact on your health, productivity and performance. While air quality is a big part of it, it is not the only thing. Noise level, the lights and even the temperature matter. Here to discuss this is Joseph Allen, Director of the Healthy Buildings program and an Assistant Professor at Harvard’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health and author of the book Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity (https://amzn.to/30SX3b4)When you have a million things to do, what do you do first? Well, you can start by asking a simple question, says Kendra Adachi author of the book The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, and Get Stuff Done (https://amzn.to/341FO9B). She is also host of the podcast, The Lazy Genius (https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy) Listen as she explains great strategies to make sure the important things get done and still have time for yourself. Every year telephone scams rob people of billions of dollars. What’s interesting is that seemingly very smart people who are sure they are too smart to get taken are often the victims of these scams. Listen as I give you 4 question the next time you get a phone solicitation. Source: Joseph Wilt author of Do I Need Help? (https://amzn.to/3gXTG8v)PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! To match with a licensed therapist today, go to https://Talkspace.com. Use promo code SYSK to get $100 off of your first month! Helix Sleep is offering up to $200 off all mattress orders AND two free pillows for our listeners at https://helixsleep.com/sysk.  Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewardsGo to Amazon and search for Conair Turbo Extreme to get your 2-in-1 steam and iron steamer today!Along with alarms, fire extinguishers are essential. Make sure to place fire extinguishers on every level of your home and in common spaces like the kitchen and know how to use them. For more information on fire safety products, safety tips and educational activities you can do at home with your family visit https://firstalert.com/firepreventionmonth   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone loves ketchup – or so it seems. In fact, it is one of the most universally loved foods in America. Why? This episode begins with some interesting facts and history about ketchup that helps explain why there is a bottle of it in more than 97% of U.S. households. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/aug/20/why-is-ketchup-so-delicious-science-answers-big-food-questionsHave you ever felt you were on a winning streak? Maybe it was at work or gambling or a game of tennis – where you just could do no wrong. You often see winning streaks in professional sports. Interestingly, some people claim that winning streaks aren’t really a thing. However, my guest believes otherwise and in fact we can all learn how to do anything better by understanding how winning streaks work. Here to explain is Ben Cohen is a sports reporter for The Wall Street Journal and author of the book, The Hot Hand: The Mystery and Science of Streaks (https://amzn.to/32gobSl).I bet some English teacher somewhere during your education told you that you should never end a sentence with a preposition. However, following that rule can be difficult as any writer knows because it makes for awkward sentences. So, is it really a rule and where did it come from? Listen as I explain whether you should really bother to follow that rule. Source: Patricia O’Connor author of “Woe Is I” (https://amzn.to/3igwWkT)We all have had to do work that requires real careful concentration. Yet in today’s world of distractions, it can be a real challenge to stay focused without interruption. Cal Newport has researched this and come up with some great insight into how to get that important work done even when other people are interrupting your concentration and pulling you in different directions. Cal is a writer and an assistant professor of computer science at Georgetown University and host of the podcast Deep Questions. https://www.calnewport.com/podcast/. He is also author of the book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World (https://amzn.to/3heGXO9). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features!Cancel unnecessary subscriptions with Rocket Money today. Go to https://RocketMoney.com/something . Seriously, it could save you HUNDREDS of dollars per year!Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewardsDownload Best Fiends for FREE from the App Store or Google play.. Plus, earn even more with $5 worth of in-game rewards when you reach level 5! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your mother told you not to lie. After all, lying is dishonest. More importantly, it may also be bad for your health. This episode begins by revealing why telling the truth could help prevent you from getting sick. http://research.nd.edu/news/32485-study-telling-fewer-lies-linked-to-better-health-relationships/How did YouTube go from being a simple dating site to the biggest video sharing service in the world that generates billions of dollars in ad revenue each year? How did it happen that many ordinary people have become wealthy superstars simply by creating and uploading videos to YouTube? Joining me to tell the phenomenal story of YouTube’s rapid growth and financial success is business journalist Mark Bergen author of the book Like, Comment, Subscribe: Inside YouTube’s Chaotic Rise to World Domination (https://amzn.to/3erOSvM). What drives your behavior? Is it nature or nurture – or both? Are all your behaviors the result of conscious thought or instinct? What compels you to behave the way you do? Here with some fascinating insight into the origins of our behavior and the behavior of all creatures on earth is Marlene Zuk. Marlene is professor of ecology, evolution, and behavior at the University of Minnesota, and author of the book Dancing Cockatoos and the Dead Man Test: How Behavior Evolves and Why It Matters (https://amzn.to/3cOtTmz). You likely have some valuables hidden in your home that you hope a burglar will never find. But if you really want to be clever about it, you need to know where burglars look and where they almost never look. Listen as I explain the places burglars say they check first and places in your home they almost never go. https://lifehacker.com/the-best-spot-to-hide-valuables-may-be-your-kids-room-5937620PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features!Cancel unnecessary subscriptions with Rocket Money today. Go to https://RocketMoney.com/something . Seriously, it could save you HUNDREDS of dollars per year!Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewardsDownload Best Fiends for FREE from the App Store or Google play.. Plus, earn even more with $5 worth of in-game rewards when you reach level 5! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You just might want to take your car keys to bed with you at night. Why? This episode begins with an interesting explanation – and it all has to do with your personal safety. http://worldofwonder.net/lifehack-put-car-keys-beside-bed-night/ How do you best learn something new? Probably not the way you think. There are actually proven ways to engage the brain so material really sticks. Joining me to explain what these methods are and how they work is Ulrich Boser. Ulrich has studied the science of learning. He is founder and CEO of The Learning Agency as well as a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. He is also author of the book Learn Better (https://amzn.to/30P03Wh)The human brain is a bit quirky. Some of those quirks are good but others can cause you a lot of stress and drive you crazy. Neuroscientist Dr. Dean Burnett has researched the oddities in the human brain and joins me to explain what they are, why they are important and how to best deal with them when they get in the way. Dean is a tutor and lecturer based at Cardiff University’s Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences and he is author of the book Idiot Brain: What Your Head is Really Up To (https://amzn.to/3ab7Dxp)Lobster is often the most expensive thing on the menu at any seafood restaurant. Why? Listen as I explain how getting the lobster from the seas to your plate is no small feat – and an expensive at that. https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/why-lobster-so-expensive-worth-pricePLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features!Cancel unnecessary subscriptions with Rocket Money today. Go to https://RocketMoney.com/something . Seriously, it could save you HUNDREDS of dollars per year!Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewardsDownload Best Fiends for FREE from the App Store or Google play.. Plus, earn even more with $5 worth of in-game rewards when you reach level 5! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since watching a scary movie can be so stressful and even unpleasant – why do people do it? This episode begins with a discussion on why people watch them and the benefits of doing so. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070725152040.htmWe all make food choices every day. And a lot of things influence those choices which can make it difficult to eat a healthy diet.  To help understand how to make better food choices and resist those negative influences is Marion Nestle, PhD. Marion is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University, and she has researched and written several books about food, nutrition and the politics of food – including Unsavory Truth: How Food Companies Skew the Science of What We Eat (https://amzn.to/2EUTGbm) She also has a rather simple way to lose weight you likely want to hear. Millions of us sit at a computer almost all day – and nothing could be worse! When we slouch and strain our neck and do all the other things we do, it cause all sorts of physical problems. Plus, when you spend a lot of time looking down at your phone, that’s not helping either. Joining me to give some expert advice on what to do about this is Erik Peper. He is a professor of Holistic Health at San Francisco State University and co-author of the book Tech Stress: How Technology is Hijacking Our Lives, Strategies for Coping, and Pragmatic Ergonomics (https://amzn.to/2QEyZCS).What makes it more likely that you get pulled over by the police? Yes, speeding is the obvious reason but you can also get pulled over because of your position in relation to the other cars as well as other factors. Listen to hear some advice on how to improve your chances of not getting pulled over by the cops. Source: Interview with Eric Peters of https://www.ericpetersautos.com/PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! With Bambee, get access to your own dedicated HR Manager starting at just $99 per month! Go to https://Bambee.com RIGHT NOW and type in Something You Should Know under PODCASTwhen you sign up - it’ll really help the show!Start hiring NOW with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Offer good for a limited time.Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewards https://www.geico.com Bundle your policies and save! It's Geico easy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“ I wish I got more emails!” – said no one ever. Many of us start the day wading through emails we wish we never got in the first place. This episode begins with some easy strategies to cut down on your email clutter and lighten the load of your inbox. Source: Kaitlin Sherwood author of Overcome Email Overload (https://amzn.to/3RBsKNW)For a million reasons you already know, friends are important. Yet we tend to have fewer friends today than in the past and some people have no one at all they could call a real friend. Dr. Marisa Franco is here to help. She is a recognized expert on friendship including how to make friends and how to keep them. Her work has appeared in Psychology Today, The New York Times and Scientific American. She is also author of the book Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Make and Keep Friends (https://amzn.to/3RuMm60)Marisa's website is : https://drmarisagfranco.com/The English language is full of quirks and traps. For example: Is it further or farther? Do you lay down or lie down? Is it effect or affect? Joining me to answer these questions and explore other interesting ways English can trip you up is Ellen Jovin. She holds degrees from Harvard in German and UCLA in comparative literature, and she has studied twenty-five languages. Ellen is also author of the book, Rebel With A Clause: Tales and Tips from a Roving Grammarian (https://amzn.to/3cKpzo9)Ellen's website is: https://www.ellenjovin.com/Over weight people tend to chew their food differently than people who are skinny. Listen as I explain why and how chewing food differently might help you lose weight. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chewing-more-helps-people-eat-less-study-says/PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! With Bambee, get access to your own dedicated HR Manager starting at just $99 per month! Go to https://Bambee.com RIGHT NOW and type in Something You Should Know under PODCASTwhen you sign up - it’ll really help the show!Start hiring NOW with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Offer good for a limited time.Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewards https://www.geico.com Bundle your policies and save! It's Geico easy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anyone who cooks on a grill has wondered why it is that hot dogs come in packages of ten while hot dog buns are sold in packages of eight. Why the mismatch? This episode begins with the explanation. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a40984485/hot-dogs-buns-packages/Much of your life is powered by batteries. From your TV remote to your car to your cellphone, you rely on batteries every single day. Yet, you probably don’t know a lot about them - like why there are different sizes or why they seem like they last longer than they used to. Here to explain all of this as well as the fascinating history of battery technology is James Morton Turner, author of the book Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future (https://amzn.to/3QYnR1n).Have you ever wondered why hairstyles and fashion and music styles change? Why do you cringe when you see your clothes or hair in old pictures of yourself? What causes these things to fall in and out of style – and who is responsible for it? It all has to do with how our culture changes as well as our desire for status according to W. David Marx. David is a long-time writer on culture based in Tokyo and he is author of a book called Status and Culture: How Our Desire for Social Rank Creates Taste, Identity, Art, Fashion and Constant Change https://amzn.to/3wNJeub . Listen as he reveals the fascinating connection between status and culture and how they work together to drive change.How can your morning cup of coffee predict the weather? It has to do with the bubbles. Listen as I explain how coffee bubbles reveal the kind of day you are about to have. https://www.instructables.com/Predict-weather-with-a-cup-of-coffee/PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! With Bambee, get access to your own dedicated HR Manager starting at just $99 per month! Go to https://Bambee.com RIGHT NOW and type in Something You Should Know under PODCASTwhen you sign up - it’ll really help the show!Start hiring NOW with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Offer good for a limited time.Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewards https://www.geico.com Bundle your policies and save! It's Geico easy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you save things that take up space that you know you will never, ever use again? This episode begins with some simple advice that will help you clear out some items from your home or office and free up some space for what’s really important. Source: Barbara Hemphill author of “Love It or Lose It (https://amzn.to/31wfIdq) People say that if they had to give up one of their senses, they would give up smell. After listening to this episode, you may decide to answer that question differently. That’s because people don’t realize how important smell is to your physical and emotional well-being. Joining me to explain why smell is important and how to make the most of it is Rachel Herz. She is a researcher who teaches at Brown University and Boston College and is author of the book The Scent of Desire: Discovering Our Enigmatic Sense of Smell (https://amzn.to/3gtkP21) A lot of people believe that playing classical music helps plants grow. People also believe that certain types of music will make babies smarter. But what does this research say? I’ll explain. Source: Dan Levitan author of This Is Your Brain On Music https://amzn.to/3jivqyJ We all have things we say we want to do before we die. Frequently, people put off those experiences until later in life – often after they retire. The problem is that for many of those “bucket list” experiences, it isn’t just having the experience – it is WHEN you have it. In other words, some things are meant to happen when you are 35 not 75. Bill Perkins has given this a lot of thought. Bill is a hedge fund manager, Hollywood film producer, high stakes tournament poker player and author of the book Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life (https://amzn.to/2YEt31d). He joins me to explain how timing is so important when it comes to the experiences in your life.PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Go to https://CozyEarth.com/SOMETHING to SAVE 35% now!  All backed by a 100-Night Sleep Guarantee.Start hiring NOW with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Offer good for a limited time.Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewardsGo to Amazon and search for Conair Turbo Extreme to get your 2-in-1 steam and iron steamer today!So, if you think you’re okay to drive after a few drinks, think again. Play it safe and plan ahead to get a ride. Drive sober or get pulled over! Paid for by NHTSA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You probably don’t think of the Internet as an actual place but it really is – sort of. All of our computers have to connect to each other somewhere – and there is a place where that happens. And that place has a particular smell to it. This episode begins with an explanation. Source: Andrew Blum author of the book Tubes (https://amzn.to/3pwX3Jq).It is hard to argue with nice. Being nice to other people in generally regarded as a good thing. But you can also be TOO nice – which can cause a lot of trouble. Aziz Gazapura used to be one of those people and he is now on a mission to help people stop being too nice. Listen as he reveals what the problem is, what it does to you and how to be nice – without being too nice. Aziz is the author of the book, Not Nice: Stop People Pleasing, Staying Silent, & Feeling Guilty… And Start Speaking Up, Saying No, Asking Boldly, And Unapologetically Being Yourself (https://amzn.to/3K6KqhA)It is often said that you can negotiate anything. Still, most of us are usually not willing to try and bargain on retail items – but perhaps we should. And here to explain how to do it is Emily Hunter. Emily is an associate professor of management at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, where she teaches negotiation and conflict management. https://business.baylor.edu/directory/?id=Emily_M_Hunter Even though cars breakdown unexpectedly, the fact is that it happens it is likely because of one of just a couple of reasons. If you know what they are you may be able to prevent the breakdown or atleast know what to check for and how to fix it. Listen and I’ll explain.. www.roadsidesurvival.comPLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Go to https://CozyEarth.com/SOMETHING to SAVE 35% now!  All backed by a 100-Night Sleep Guarantee.Start hiring NOW with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Offer good for a limited time.Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewardsGo to Amazon and search for Conair Turbo Extreme to get your 2-in-1 steam and iron steamer today!So, if you think you’re okay to drive after a few drinks, think again. Play it safe and plan ahead to get a ride. Drive sober or get pulled over! Paid for by NHTSA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices